


deep inside my eye, there is part of you

by Dresupi



Series: Would You Like to See Something Strange?  (Halloween Prompts) [17]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Anachronistic, Courtship, F/M, Fluffy Ending, Gothic, Historical Inaccuracy, Kissing, Light Angst, Marriage Proposal, Minor Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Past Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Romance, Thunder and Lightning, mysterious behavior
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 18:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12393621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dresupi/pseuds/Dresupi
Summary: Fred is acting strangely, and Hermione wants to know why.Part 17 of my Halloween Prompts: Gothic.





	deep inside my eye, there is part of you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aunbrey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aunbrey/gifts).



> October 17 - Gothic. 
> 
> Title comes from "Apple Trees" by Ozma. 
> 
> I'm sure my Victorian AU is full of anachronistic horribleness. Let's just squint and enjoy how these two dorks will end up together in my fics no matter what. ;)

Hermione jumped once more as the thunder rolled outside.  

The Burrow was dark and mostly empty, save herself and Fred.  

Fred had remained behind to keep an eye on the home while the rest of the family went to visit Charlie in Romania.  And Hermione, being the hapless, socially inept cretin that she was, had dropped by unannounced to spend some of her summer holiday visiting old friends.  

Not that Fred wasn’t an old friend, mind.  She just had been expecting…  _ more _ old friends. Mrs. Weasley.  And  _ Ginny _ . She hadn’t visited with her best friend since she’d gotten engaged to her  _ other _ best friend.  Speaking of Harry, she’d been hoping to see a little of him as well 

Of course Ron would have been there, but it had been years since the two of them had broken their engagement.  It wasn’t still a point of contention.  In fact, he even sent her owls on the odd occasion.  And she sent back replies.  

They were practically friendly again.  

She had always been close with the twins.  Fred and George.  Their relationship in school had been more familial.  With them playing pranks at her expense like she was an honourary Weasley. 

Since they’d left school, she’d become closer with Fred.  

She and Fred communicated more often than Ron and she ever had, even while they were engaged. Her favourite part of her downtime was scribbling down the various things she and her research team had gotten up to, writing down the funny stories or odd occurrences for Fred’s perusal.  His return letters were full of wit and whimsy.  And he’d recently begun regaling her with tales of his and George’s joke shop. 

Whenever she saw Puck tapping at her window or tent screen, her heart leapt into her throat.  

So, she’d rather been looking forward to a sit down with him.  

That was  _ before _ she’d arrived, of course.  Once she’d arrived at the shadowy, oddly quiet and empty Burrow, things had become rather… stilted.  

And she wasn’t sure  _ why _ .  

Fred had always been witty and charming.  Funny, sometimes downright inappropriate.  But he always made her laugh.  

Except for this visit, where he’d barely spoken to her since she’d arrived the day before.  Something was definitely off. 

“You alright, Granger?”  Fred asked from across the room.  He was seated in a chair, sipping from a teacup.  “You seem a bit jumpy.”  

“The thunder startled me…” she admitted, her gaze drifting over to where he was.  He’d come into the room, noted where she sat by the fire and had chosen his own seat to be as far away from her as was possible.  

“The storm’s been brewing all day.  Surely you’ve noticed,” he replied.  

She had noticed.  She’d just filed it away as useless information. 

“I think that’s the first time you’ve spoken to me since breakfast,” she said slowly.  “ _ That _ , I’ve noticed.”  

There was no answer.  So they were back to it again.  

She closed the book she was reading and rose, sending it back to the shelf where she’d gotten it.  “I’ll be on my way tomorrow, Fred. I’ve made other arrangements in London.”  

She hadn’t.  But she could.  At a moment’s notice. 

“You don’t have to do that,” he mumbled.  

“I won’t impose upon you any longer than is necessary.”  

“You’re not an imposition, Granger.”  She barely heard him, she was already on her way to the stairs.  

Lightning struck outside, lighting up the entire hallway as she made her way to the guest room.  

The Burrow wasn’t a large home.  But enough children had moved out on their own to free up some of the rooms as spare or guest rooms.  

She closed the door to hers, perhaps a bit harder than she should have.  And perhaps she cast a few too many locking charms on the doorknob.  But she thrived on passive aggression.  Especially the kind that he would likely never know about.  

She wasn’t certain why this was bothering her so greatly, other than it was so unlike Fred to behave in this way.  She couldn’t think of a reason to be so rude to someone unless they weren’t wanted.  Perhaps she’d ruined his peace and quiet.  

Perhaps he preferred her as a letter writing companion.  

Perhaps…

Hermione sighed and sank down onto the bed.   _ Perhaps _ she’d simply misread his letters and had over-anticipated their next face-to-face meeting.  That seemed the most likely culprit of all.  

The thunder rolled again outside, clapping so loudly, she reached for her throat, clutching at her lace collar.  This storm really was out of control.  

She almost didn’t hear the knocking at her door.  She wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been accompanied by a frustrated  _ ‘Hermione!’   _

She stood up, straightening her skirts before moving towards the door.  She thought about playing coy and asking who was there, but honestly all the humour had left this situation and she really just wanted to be left to her own devices.  

She unlocked the door and pulled it open, just as the lightning struck once more, illuminating her in the doorway.

Fred gulped.  “Sorry…”  

“For what?” she asked.  “For disturbing me once I’d gone to bed, or for ignoring me for the entire day?”  

“Both,” he replied.  

“Fred, I’m not certain I understand.  I thought… we’ve been conversing rather comfortably in our letters.  I wasn’t expecting the cold shoulder once I got here. You must admit, this is wholly unlike you--”

“Mione.  We’ve  _ never _ been alone before.”  

She frowned.  “What do you mean?  Of course we have.”  

“Not…  _ alone _ , alone.  It’s improper for two people such as we are… to be alone.  Together.”  

She nearly burst out laughing.  “Fred Weasley.  Since when are  _ you _ concerned with propriety? Why, I can’t even count the number of times you’ve told me an inappropriate joke?  Or anecdote?  Or...”  

“I’ve been concerned about propriety when it comes to  _ you _ , Hermione.  I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea about us…”  

She raised her eyebrows.  “Oh.  Of course.  You’ve… you are pursuing someone?  A sweetheart?  I see.  I will…  _ absolutely _ refrain from impropriety around you, Fred.  I--”  

He laughed, running his hand through his hair.  “I don’t have a sweetheart, Granger.  Not yet, anyway.”  

“Then congratulations.  I was called the smartest witch of my year and you, Fred Weasley, have managed to confuse the sodding hell out of me. I’ll be flooing to London the first thing in the morning and--”

“It’s you, Hermione. I want to pursue  _ you _ . With intent to… to marry.  If that would please you.”  

“You have to ask my father,” she said dumbly.  

“Right.  And he’s not here.”  

“Oh… Merlin… this is…”  

Fred smirked and looked down at his feet.  “Was that… I didn’t hear a yes, Granger?  I won’t be traveling to ask your father’s permission to court you, if you’re just going to say no… seems a rather wasted trip, doesn’t it?” He scuffed his shoe on the carpet, and she realized for the first time that he was nervous. 

She swallowed thickly, nodding.  “Yes.  I mean.  Yes, to your… pursuit of my… affections.  Not to the wasted trip.  I mean… make the trip, Fred. I promise you it won’t be a wasted one.”  

He laughed, reaching for her hand and pulling it to his lips.  “I’d much rather kiss you properly, but… “  

“Kiss me properly.”  

“It wouldn’t be… we’re alone.”  

“Kiss me improperly then.”  

He tugged on her hand, pulling her close against him as he laced their fingers.  His other hand was placed on the small of her back as he bent over her, pressing his lips to hers.  

The touch was soft at first.  Barely brushing against her mouth.  

But she rose slightly on her tiptoes, applying more pressure and he made a sound of surprise in the back of his throat, his lips parting slightly as he deepened the kiss.  

She dropped her heels back to the floor, the fluttering feeling in her lower abdomen was almost too much to handle.  She wanted to do all manner of improper things to him.  But there was a reason those things were improper.  

“That was wholly inappropriate of you, Ms. Granger.”  

“Is that a complaint?”  

“No, no.  Just an observation.”  

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love, so maybe leave me some love? <3 Love is awesome! <3
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://dresupi.tumblr.com/), if that's your thing. ;)


End file.
